Aerial apparatus.



No. 756,169. PATENTED MAR. 29, 1904.

J. KAISER.

AERIAL APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 26. 1902. N0 MODEL. 2 snnn'rssnnm 1.

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N0. 756, 69 PATENTED MAR. 29. 1904- J. KAISER. [AERIAL APPARATUS.APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1902.

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Patented March 29, 1904 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KAISER, OF SENECA FALLS, NEW YORK.

AERIAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 756,169, dated March 29,1904.

Application filed May 26, 1902. Serial No. 109,022- (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

aerial apparatus, relating more particularly to the means for raisingand lowering a fire-ladder, water-tower, or other aerial device; and itconsists of certain improvements upon the apparatus as set forth in myformer patent, No, 645,645, of March 20, 1900.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple and practical meanswhereby the ladder, tower, or other device may be more speedily raisedand lowered to any desired position and automatically locked in suchposition and at the same time permitting the aerial device to be raisedand lowered gradually, if desired, by a screw and laterally-movablesections or jaws of a sectional nut mounted in a suitable casing orframe.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion ofa hook-and-ladder truck, showing particularly the turn-table and aportion of the ladder mounted thereon, the ladder being shown in itsnormal position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the turn-table and theadjacent portions of the frame and superimposed ladder and liftingmechanism. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are sectional views taken, respectively, onlines 3 3 and 44, Fig. 2, and 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a side elevation,partly in section, of the detached lifting mechanism and the adjacentportion of its support, the oscillatory cylinder being shown aspartially elevated. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7 7, Fig.5. Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 are perspective views showing,respectively, the detached sliding block, the upper and lower movablejaws for engaging the screw, the hand-piece and the cam for operatingtheinovable jaws, and the detached link connection between the cam andone of said jaws. Fig. 14

- is asectional view taken on line 14 14, Fig. 5.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

A represents a portion of the frame of the truck of a hook-and-ladderapparatus, which is provided with a suitable turn-table a, the

.upper section of which is provided with upright braces or standards a.

B represents a ladder pivoted to the forward end of the uprightstandards a, and C is asuitable lever pivoted at c to the rear ends ofthe standards and connected by braces or tie-rods 2 and 3 to theintermediate portion of the ladder B, all of which parts aresubstantially the same as described and claimed in my former patent andit is thought unnecessary to further describe in this application.

Secured to the upper section of the turntable a is a suitable frameprovided with sub-' stantially parallel ways or guide-bars 4 and havingits opposite ends provided with bear-- ings 5, in which is journaled arotary screw 6, having one end provided with suitable shoulders orcollars engaged with the opposite end faces of one of the bearings forpreventing endwise movement of the screw. This screw 6 is arrangedsubstantially midway between and parallel with the ways 4,

and is provided at one end with an angular shank 7 which may be engagedby a suitable crank or other handpiece. (Not illustrated.)

Mounted upon the ways 4 and movable lengthwise thereof is a slidinghead-block or casing 8, having an aperture 9 for receiving the screw 6,said sliding block or casing being provided with shoulders 10, restingupon the top face of the ways 4, the lower portion of said block beingextended downwardly between the ways and provided with a detachableplate 11, having its opposite ends extending laterally beneath the ways4 and adapted to engage the lower face of said ways for bolding thesliding block in its operative position relatively to the ways 4. Thissliding block or casing 8 is also provided with forwardlyprojectingwings 12, having substantially vertical ways or guides 13 for receivinga reciprocally-movable clamping-jaw, presently described, and is formedwith laterally-projecting trunnions 14 for receiving suitable links,also presently described, which connect the sliding block to the rockarmor lever C, presently described. This sliding block 8 is movablelengthwise of the screw 6 independently of said screw, the aperture 9being of greater diameter than the diameter of the screw for permittingsaid block to move freely along the ways 4 between the bearings 5 at theopposite ends of said screw. Mounted in the vertical ways 13 of thecasing 8 is a separable nut, having a reciprocally-movable jaw 15,formed with a threaded engaging face 16 and oppositely-arrangedupwardly-extending arms 17, which are formed with lengthwise grooves orguides 18, extending downwardly from their upper end faces. The threadedportion 16 of the jaw 15 is movable into and out of engagement withthelower face of the screw 6, and the arms 17 extend upwardly onopposite sides of the said screw and usually above the upper end of thesliding block 8, said arms being provided at their upper ends withsuitable apertures 19 for receiving an eccentric operating member,presently described.

Movable in the casing 8, and preferably guided in grooves or ways 18 ofthe upright arm 17 is a second jaw 20, forming the other half of theseparable nut and having its lower end provided with a threaded engagingface 21, adapted to engage the upper surface of thescrew, and its upperend formed with a recess 22 for receiving one end of a suitable link,presently described, the opposite lateral faces of said upper jaw beingprovided with ribs 23, which enter the grooves 18 of the arms 17 andserve to guide the jaw 20 in its reciprocal movement toward and awayfrom the upper surface of the screw.

The eccentric operating member previously mentioned preferably consistsof a cylindrical drum 24, which is eccentrically supported in theapertures 19 of the arms 17 of the lower jaw bya pin 25, said eccentriccylinder ordrum being provided with two or more eccentric apertures 26,either of which is adapted to re ceive the pin 25, said apertures 26being of varying distances from the center of the cylinder in order thatthe throw of the cam maybe varied as may be desired. I usually providethis eccentric drum with a suitable handpiece 27, which is provided withan eye 28, adapted to receive the drum 24, and is secured to said drumby a suitable set-screw 29, said cylinder being provided with two ormore threaded peripheral apertures 30, either of which is adapted toreceive the inner end of the set-screw for permitting peripheraladjustment of the handpiece 27 upon the eccentric 24. Loosely mounted orjournaled upon the periphery of the eccentric 24 is an annular ring 31,which is provided with a depending arm 32, arranged in the recess 22 ofsaid upper jaw, said arm being formed with an aperture 33 for receivinga pin 34, mounted in the apertures of the jaws 20. This annular ring 31and its depending arm 32 form the link connection previously mentionedbetween the eccentric operating member, as the drum 24 and the upper jaw20,

for moving the jaws in opposite directions into and out of engagementwith the screw 6. This annular ring 31 is also provided with aperipheral lug 34, which is connected by a link 35 to a similar lugsecured to the sliding block 8 and preferably projecting rearwardlythere from to afford ample clearance for theeccentrio drum 24 and partsconnected thereto.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the jaws 15 and 20 areeccentrically connected to the drum 24, the jaw 15 being pivotallyconnected to the drum 24 at one side of its center by a pin 25, uponwhich the drum is adapted to rotate withan eccentric or cam I movement,and thering 31 being connected to the other jaw and loosely mounted uponthe periphery of the drum 24 and flexibly connected to the sliding block8. It is evident that as said cam is rotated upon the pin 25 the jaws 15and 20 will be simultaneously moved into or out of engagement with theopposite faces of the screw 6 and that when said jaws are moved out ofengagement with the screw the sliding block 8 and the mechanism carriedthereby may be moved freely lengthwise of the screw along the ways 4independently of the rotary movement of said screw. This is aparticularly important feature of my invention, for the reason that itenables the operator to speedily elevate or lower the aerial device byhand or by any other desired means, preferably by a piston actuated bycompressed air, as set forth in my former application referred to. It isalso apparent that when the ladder or other device is movedapproximately to the desired position the jaws may be operated by thehandpiece 27 to engage the screw for'holding the sliding block and theladder connected thereto in its adjusted position, and, if desired, tomove the ladder carefully toward a building or to adjust the same to anyparticular angle, the screw may be readily rotated for moving thesliding block and the ladder connected thereto without fear ofdisengagement of the jaws from the screw, since said jaws formsubstantially a solid nut when the cam is forced to its operativeposition, as seen in Fig. 5.

The means for connecting the sliding block 8 to the rock-arm Cpreferably consists of a link 36, having its forward ends provided witheyes for receiving the trunnions 14 and their rear ends also formed witheyes for receiving a transverse rod 37 ,which in turn is connected tothe lower ends of the rock arms or levers C, it being understood thatthe upper ends of said rock arms or levers are connected to the ladderby the rods 2 and 3, previously mentioned. It is therefore apparent thatas the sliding block 8 is moved rearwardly and forwardly along the ways4 the ladder B will be raised or lowered, and, as set forth in my formerpatent, I usually employ a cylinder 38 and a piston 39, movable in saidcylinder and-actuated by the compressed air or other fluid for IIO .turn-table a, and its opposite end is movable vertically at any desiredangle, as seen in Fig. 6. It has been found that, during the process ofelevating the ladder by means of the compressed air acting upon thepiston, when thepiston had approached the limit of its movement,particularly when the ladder was eX- tended to its full length, therewas more or less vibration to the ladder, caused by the sudden stoppageof the piston,and that the incidental strain upon the moving parts oftheapparatus might prove to be detrimental to the machine in the hands of acareless or inexperienced operator. '1 have therefore provided meanscontrolled by the moving piston for introducing compressed air into thecylinders in advance of the outwardly' moving piston, between the pistonand the outer end wall of the cylinder, in order to form a compressedaircushion for said piston as the same reaches the limit of its outwardmovement.

. As seen in the drawings, the compressed air is admitted at the frontends of the chamber or cylinder 38 through a pipe or conduit 41, whichmay be connected to acompressed-air reservoir, similar to the one seenin my former patent,'but unnecessary to herein illustrate or describe,as any means may be employed for forcing compressed air through theconduit 41 into the pivoted end of the cylinder 38. This means forintroducing the compressed air into the cylinder in advance of theoutwardly-mov ing piston preferably consists of a conduit 45, having oneend 46 communicating with the piston-chamber in proximity to its outeror free end, and its other end 47 communicating with the intermediateportion of the piston-chamher, said conduit being provided with avalve48 and a vent-opening 49, the valve 48 being provided with branchpassages 50, 51, and 52 and a rock-arm 53, secured to, the valve forrocking the same within its valve-chamber, the branch passages 50 and 51being normally alined with the conduit and vent-opening 49 forconnecting said conduit to the vent-open ing when the piston is in itsnormal or innermost position and during the movement of the piston alimited distance outwardly, thus serving as a vent for the air inadvance of the piston in its outward movement, it being understood thatas the piston moves outwardly the air in advance of the piston will beforced through the ends of the conduit 46 and 47 and through thepassages 50, 51, and 52, as i seen in Fig. 4, forrelieving the pressurein advance of the piston.

In order to introduce compressed air through the conduit 45 andinlet-opening 46 when the piston has reached a predetermined position inits outward movement, I provide a suitable operating member 54, havingone end connected to the piston-rod 55 of the piston and its other endmovable in a suitable bracket 56, the intermediate portion of saidoperating member being provided with a shoulder 57, which is arranged toengage the free end of the rock-arm 53 as the-operating member is drawnoutwardly by the piston for rocking the valve 48 and registering thepassages and 52, respectively, with the inletopening 46 and the adjacentportion of the conduit 45, as seen in Fig. 6, and it is thus evidentthat as the piston has passed beyond the inner end 47 of the conduit 45and the shoulder 57 has rocked the valve, as just described, thecompressed air will readily pass outwardly through the end 47 into theconduit 45 and thence through the passages 52 and 50 through theinlet-opening 46 and into the cylinder in advance of the piston, thusforming the compressed-air cushion in front of the piston and cuttingoff the vent or the passage of the air through the vent 49. In orderthat I may be enabled to introduce the compressed air in advance of thepiston at any time after the piston has passed beyond the forward end 47of the conduit 45, I preferably make the operating member 54 insections, one being adjusted lengthwise of the other and secured to eachother by suitable clamping-bolts 59. These sections of the operatingmember are preferably lappedone upon the other at the rear of theshoulder 57 and are each provided witha series of apertures 60, whichare adapted to receive the clamping-bolts 59, it being understood thatwhen desired to adjust the shoulder 57 in relation to the outer end ofthe piston-rod it is simply necessary to remove the bolts 59 and toslide the forward section of the operating member forwardly in thebracket 56 and then to reinsert the bolts in alined apertures of thesections. This feature which has just been described is anotherimportant element in my invention, and serves to reduce the jar andvibration of the aerial device during the process of elevating the same.

In the operation of my invention when it is desired to elevate theladder or other aerial device the jaws 15 and 20 are forced out ofengagement with the screw 6 by means of the cam 24 and operating-lever27. The compressed air is then introduced into the pivoted end of thecylinder 88 through the conduit 41, whereupon the piston is forcedoutwardly by compressed air until it'passes the outlet 47, and at thesame time the sliding block is also drawn forwardly and the ladder B isrocked upwardly upon its pivot 1 by means of the bell-crank or lever C,which is connected to the link 36 and also to the piston-rod 55. Whenthe compressed air has moved the piston beyond the end 47 of the conduit45 and the shoulder 57 has rocked the valve 48 to the position seen inFig. 6, the compressed air is diverted from the piston-chamber throughthe conduit 45 in advance of the piston, thereby forming an air cushionfor the purpose previously specified.

If it is desired to move the ladder or other device still higher or tolower the same, the jaws 15 and 20 may be forced into engagement withthe screw 6 and the screw may then be rotated to effect the furthermovement of the ladder.

The operation of my invention will now be readily understood uponreference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings,and it will be noted that the essential features of my invention consistin connecting the piston to a sliding block having jaws movable into andout of engagement with the screw and also providing means forautomatically introducing compressed air into the cylinder when thepiston has reached a predetermined position within said cylinder duringits outward movement.

It will be evident that somechange may be made in the detailconstruction and arrangement of the component parts of my inventionwithout departing from the spirit thereof. Therefore I do not limitmyself to the precise construction and arrangement as shown anddescribed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A lifting device for aerial apparatus comprising a support, a rotaryscrew, and a sliding block connected to the apparatus and movablelengthwise of the screw independently thereof, a movable threaded jawcarried by the block and a rotary drum carried by the block andconnected to the jaw for forcing said jaw into and out of engagementwith the screw.

2. The combination with a support and an aerial apparatus mountedthereon, of a rotary screw, a sliding block movable lengthwise of thescrew and connected to the apparatus for actuating the same, movablethreaded jaws carried by the block, and a drum also carried by the blockand eccentrically connected to the jaws for simultaneously forcing thejaws into or out of engagement with the screw.

3. The combination with an aerial apparatus and a support carrying arotary screw and parallel ways, of a sliding block guided on the waysand connected to the apparatus for transmitting motion thereto, aclamping jaw mounted on the block and movable into and out of engagementwith the screw, and a second jaw mounted on the former jaw and alsomovable into and out of engagement with the screw, and means flexiblyconnected to the the screw.

4. The combination with an aerial apparatus and a support carrying arotary screw and par allel ways, of a sliding block guided on the waysand connected to the apparatus for the purpose described, clamping-jawscarried by the block, a drum eccentrically pivoted to one of the jaws,and a ring encircling the drum and connected to the other jaw, and meansfor rotating the drum.

5. The combination with an aerial apparatus and a support carrying arotary screw and parallel ways, of a sliding block guided on the waysand connected to the apparatus for the purpose described, clamping-jawscarried by the block, a drum eccentrically pivoted to one of the jaws,and a ring encircling the drum and connected to the other jaw and to thesliding block, and a handpiece secured to the drum for actuating thesame.

6. The combination with a support and an aerial apparatus mountedthereon, of a rotary screw, a sliding block movable lengthwise of thescrew and connected to the apparatus for actuating the same, movablethreaded jaws carried by the block, and a drum also carried by the blockand eccentrically connected to the jaws for simultaneouslyforcing thejaws into or out of engagement with the screw, and a handpieceadjustably secured to the drum for rocking the same.

7. The combination with a support and an aerial apparatus mountedthereon, of a rotary screw, a sliding block movable lengthwise of thescrew and connected to the apparatus for actuating the same, movablethreaded jaws carried by the block, and a drum having a plurality ofapertures arranged at varying distances from its center either of whichis adapted to receive a pin secured to one of the jaws, said drum beingeccentrically connected to the other jaw.

8. A liftingdevice for aerial apparatus comprising a support, a rotaryscrew, a sliding block connected to the apparatus and movable lengthwiseof the screw independently thereof, said block being provided withupright ways, a jaw mounted in the ways and provided with guides, asecond jaw movably mounted in said guides, a rocking drum eccentricallyconnected to said jaws for moving the same into'or out of engagementwith the screw, and a hand piece for actuating said drum.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of May,1902.

JOHN KAISER.

Witnesses:

H. E. CnAsE, MILDRED M. Nor'r.

